No one would have known that the final counterattack of the Cult of Chaos would unexpectedly gravely injure Sidney's Queen, who was also King Hack's most trusted and reliant wife.
Her sense of duty and loyalty harmed her, but in this matter, Durin felt she was beyond reproach—the lady, as Hack's first wife, bore his eldest and second sons. When the eldest son was killed, she could have rightfully put her child forward.
One would think there wouldn't be any opposition.
Yet she let the second son succeed, and just this made Durin have to acknowledge her goodness.
Sadly, her kindness was not universal, constrained by her times.
Durin also understood that he, too, was constrained by the times—perhaps someday in the future, when civilization transcends the constraints of three words and six phrases, history is no longer ravaged by war, peace, and revolution, and every life gains sufficient respect.
But not now.
